Norewegian people

October, 2011

Children in Bosnia and Herzegovina still facing the mine threat

The mine contamination problem in Bosnia and Herzegovina is a direct consequence of the war, that happened from 1992 to 1995. Children in this country live every day facing the risk of injuries caused by landmines, daily exposing themselves to danger and insecurity. Norwegian People's Aid implements Mine Risk Education in areas of operations, as a backbone activity of Mine Action Programme in Bosnia and Herzegovina, since 2003. The main goal of MRE is to reduce number of victims and to indicate on long term danger by conducting education, media presentation and by raising population awareness. Reducing the hazard areas due to demining and marking, as well as conducting of MRE activities the number of mine victims is decreasing in recent past

.
In September 2011, the children in a mine-affected community of Kostrc, along the area of NPA's operations on the north, being educated on persent danger of landmines and exsplosive remnants of war. The 85 pupils, together with schoolteachers who all belong to the primary school of Kostrc, had the opprotunity to watch on-screen presentation on the subject „The School trip“. The information about the landmine issue, provided trough this kind of work, is helping children to understand and imapart knowledge on mine dangers and risks to their parents, brothers and sisters.

As long as the mine threat is present, it is essential that children in, or returning to, communities affected by mines, receive education about the risk of mines and explosive remnants of war.

October, 2011

The NPA’s B&H Integrated Community Mine Action Project in Blazevac

The local community of Blazevac, placed in Republika Srpska of Bosnia and Herzegovina, was classified as a high contaminated community trough the Land Mine Impact Survey, undertaken in 2003. The community suffered human losses in the period after the war when 6 mine accidents occurred by the most deadly type of a land mine -“PROM-1”. Four people from the village were killed and seven more have suffered severe injuries. Only in 2007 five people were injured while they were driving to work and large material damage was caused, when a sheep activated a landmine. The community experiences economic difficulties and problems as well as poverty of low income groups, due to the years of presence of landmines and unexploded ordnance.

At the beginning of 2009, NPA’s demining teams have started with realization of first phase of The Integrated mine action project in Blazevac, in accordance with BH Mine Action Center (BHMAC). Total mine suspected area was estimated on 2.5 sqkm or 15 % of whole community area, identified as 80% of I and II category of priority.

In 2009 three tasks locations were being cleared in the populated area, in total of 392,100 square metres of land. Demining of this locations place benefits for 45 families and two private companies in supplying electricity, due to released land.

Meeting the community needs and by prioritising the tasks, BHMAC prepared more projects for realization in 2010 trough The Second phase of The Integrated project, which are due to it’s comprehensiveness continued in 2011.

From March 2009 to September 2011, the NPA handed-over ten tasks locations where the operations are accomplished, with total of 969,979square metres of free land of mines. The team has found and destroyed 133 antipersonel mines, 20 antitank mines and 22 pieces of unexploded ordanance at the tasks.

Meeting the community needs, in autumn of 2011 the NPA's team has started with implementation of demining activities at the site “Blazevac 6”, in total of 30.741sqm. When the last accident occurred at this task location (summer 2007) the NPA was asked to assist and clear the area around the injured body in the minefield. Unfortunately, the majority of accidents causes by PROM-1, bounding fragmentation type of anti-personnel landmine, ended fatally. Demining of this task location, on which two mine accidents occurred in the past, is taking place in a populated part of the community. Second day of the work at the task, the Mini MineWolf machine activated a PROM-1 and shortly after PAM-3, anti-personnel type of mines. Almost 16 years after the war these mines, which are destroyed today, patiently waited for more new victims.

Demining of this task location will place benefits for seven families in this part of the village and much more people from the region who will daily use the road below the task. The operations within the affected community of Blazevac will be accomplished and handed-over to the local's (beneficiaries) by the end of demining season in 2011.
Even though the landmine problem will stay serious issue for a very long time in Bosnia and Herzegovina, the integrated approach of Mine Action within the local community of Blazevac, with more than 1.000.000squaremeters of “free land of mines”, is of great importance for the returnee population, agricultural development and sustainability of return.

July, 2011

NPA mine action intervention in the community of Kostrč

In 2011 Norwegian People’s Aid started with implementation of the Integrated Community Mine Action Project in the local community of Kostrč (ICMAP Kostrč 2011). The mine risk areas are located in the municipality of Orašje, northeastern part of the Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The local community of Kostrč was identified as a high impacted community through the Landmine Impact Survey. Following priorities defined by local authorities and BHMAC three tasks that were nominated within the ICMAP Kostrč covering a total area of 371,386 sqm as priorities for Mine Action intervention in 2011.

On 19^th May NPA started with mine action intervention through engagement of NPA manual teams with Mini MineWolf mine clearance machine. The operations will be continued during this demining season through engagement of other NPA manual demining teams and mine detection dog teams. Mine risk education and community liaison have been conducted during the demining operations continuously.

Implementation of the ICMAP Kostrč 2011 is supported by the German Federal Foreign Office, Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs and Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Demining of this area will create safe conditions for the return and renewal of agricultural land in rural area.

May, 2011

Switzerland continues support to mine action activities in BiH

The Ambassador of Switzerland in BiH, André Schaller, officially inaugurated today new facilities of the NPA’s Global Training Center for mine detection dogs, built with the support of the Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs. The implementation of this project allowed the construction of additional kennels, which will facilitate breeding and training of additional mine detection dogs, used by NPA in mine action activities in BiH, but also in other counties worldwide.

“We are aware of the fact that mines do not only pose a great danger to the people, especially children, but are also a considerable obstacle to the development of the country., Switzerland has been continuously supporting mine action efforts in Bosnia and Herzegovina for years and will continue in the forthcoming period. I am impressed by the results NPA BiH realized in the field of demining in BiH so far and I am looking forward to our further cooperation” stated Ambassador Schaller during the inauguration of the GTC new facilities. He also added that mine action activities are among Switzerland’s priorities in its concept of human security at the global level.

Mr. Darvin Lisica, NPA Programme Manager for Bosnia and Herzegovina, said that NPA foresees to enable continuity of Programme mine detection dog capacity and demine an additional 140’000 m2 in BiH in 2011. Swiss support to those activities in 2011 amounts to 450’000 BAM.

After the inauguration ceremony, ambassador Schaller visited a demining site in Kamenica, village in Vogosca municipality, together with representatives of the municipal administration.

Switzerland has been supporting various initiatives in mine action in BiH during the past twelve years, with a total amount of approx. 6 million Euros.

January, 2011

Demining operations in community of Kamenica, Sarajevo Canton supported by Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs

The Community of Kamenica was identified as a highly affected community through the Landmine Impact Survey. Based on request from the affected community, the authorities of Municipality of Vogošća, assigned implementation of mine action activities in high affected community Kamenica as priority for 2010 and ask NPA for support in implementation of mine action activities. Thanks to the support by Swiss FDFA NPA started with implementation of first phase of integrated community mine action intervention in community of Kamenica. During 2010 NPA completed mine action activities on two demining projects releasing 166,020 m2 of previously mine risk areas. Mine clearance was supported with mine risk education and marking activities. Released land have had positive effect on displaced population from this community, who expressed they will for return in community of Kamenica.
Based on this community needs NPA started with mine clearance on the location “Gora-Ljetovik 2” in October 2010, through engagement of NPA mechanical team with Mini MineWolf mine clearance machine. In 2011 demining operations will be continued by NPA manual and MDD team.

January, 2011

Completed Integrated mine action intervention in communities of Gornji Vukšic and Blaževac in 2010, supported by German Federal Foreign Office

With the end of December 2010 we successfully completed mine action intervention in communities of Gornji Vukšic, Brcko District B&H and Blaževac municipality of Pelagicevo planned for 2010. Thanks to the support of the German Federal Foreign Office, a total of 596.885 m2 is released through technical survey and mine clearance in community of Gornji Vukšic and 313.478 m2 in community of Blaževac. During operations conducted by NPA mechanical, manual and mine detection dog teams a total of 116 x anti-personnel mines, 21 x ant-tank mines and 35 x ERWs were located and destroyed. Mine risk education and marking activities were implemented continuously during the Project implementation.

May, 2010

Mine Action intervention in Gornji Vuksic community

In May 2010, the Norwegian People’s Aid - Mine Action Programme in Bosnia and Herzegovina started with implementation of Mine Action activities within Integrated Community Mine Action Plan for the the high impacted community Gornji Vuksic, Brcko DBiH (ICMAP). Implementation of this project is supported by the German Federal Foreign Office.

The BHMAC Regional Office in Brcko prepared the ICMAP project and process of its implementation. Trough the ICMAP project, six tasks have been selected for mine clearance and technical survey operations with a total areas of 602.957 sqm as priorities for mine action intervention in 2010. According to the BHMAC, it is estimated that there are still around 300 AP and 90 AT of landmines at 4,8 sqkm of suspected areas in the community.

The social, economic and environmental impact of landmines in community is severe. A lot of destroyed houses, loss of fertile agricultural land and blocked access to the electricity power are among the most serious effects for returnee and rural developing of community.

Mine clearance and technical survey operations of suspect areas will ensure safe use of arable land and reconstruction of devastated houses with aim to improve life conditions for people on this area and complete return of refuges and displaced people.

NORWEGIAN PEOPLE'A AID

Mine Action Programme Bosnia & Herzegovina

NEWS PAGE


January, 2011 Demining operations in community of Kamenica, Sarajevo Canton supported by Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs The Community of Kamenica was identified as a highly affected community through the Landmine Impact Survey. Based on request from the affected community, the authorities of Municipality of Vogošća, assigned implementation of mine action activities in high affected community Kamenica as priority for 2010 and ask NPA for support in implementation of mine action activities. Thanks to the support by Swiss FDFA NPA started with implementation of first phase of integrated community mine action intervention in community of Kamenica. During 2010 NPA completed mine action activities on two demining projects releasing 166,020 m2 of previously mine risk areas. Mine clearance was supported with mine risk education and marking activities. Released land have had positive effect on displaced population from this community, who expressed they will for return in community of Kamenica. Based on this community needs NPA started with mine clearance on the location “Gora-Ljetovik 2” in October 2010, through engagement of NPA mechanical team with Mini MineWolf mine clearance machine. In 2011 demining operations will be continued by NPA manual and MDD team.


January, 2011 Completed Integrated mine action intervention in communities of Gornji Vukšic and Blaževac in 2010, supported by German Federal Foreign Office With the end of December 2010 we successfully completed mine action intervention in communities of Gornji Vukšic, Brcko District B&H and Blaževac municipality of Pelagicevo planned for 2010. Thanks to the support of the German Federal Foreign Office, a total of 596.885 m2 is released through technical survey and mine clearance in community of Gornji Vukšic and 313.478 m2 in community of Blaževac. During operations conducted by NPA mechanical, manual and mine detection dog teams a total of 116 x anti-personnel mines, 21 x ant-tank mines and 35 x ERWs were located and destroyed. Mine risk education and marking activities were implemented continuously during the Project implementation.


May, 2010 Mine Action intervention in Gornji Vuksic community In May 2010, the Norwegian People’s Aid - Mine Action Programme in Bosnia and Herzegovina started with implementation of Mine Action activities within Integrated Community Mine Action Plan for the the high impacted community Gornji Vuksic, Brcko DBiH (ICMAP). Implementation of this project is supported by the German Federal Foreign Office. The BHMAC Regional Office in Brcko prepared the ICMAP project and process of its implementation. Trough the ICMAP project, six tasks have been selected for mine clearance and technical survey operations with a total areas of 602.957 sqm as priorities for mine action intervention in 2010. According to the BHMAC, it is estimated that there are still around 300 AP and 90 AT of landmines at 4,8 sqkm of suspected areas in the community. The social, economic and environmental impact of landmines in community is severe. A lot of destroyed houses, loss of fertile agricultural land and blocked access to the electricity power are among the most serious effects for returnee and rural developing of community. Mine clearance and technical survey operations of suspect areas will ensure safe use of arable land and reconstruction of devastated houses with aim to improve life conditions for people on this area and complete return of refuges and displaced people.